This application claims the priority of German patent document 198 12 330.2 filed Mar. 20, 1998, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein.
The invention relates to a starting device for a flying body that is towed by an aircraft. Such towed bodies are used, for example, as decoys for the self-protection of an airplane or as a target for firing practice.
In particular, the invention provides a starting device for such a towed flying body which meets the following objectives:
Maximal free floating of the trail line with respect to the horizontal tail unit of the aircraft; PA1 disposition of the towed body in an air current which is as undisturbed as possible (unaffected by the current of the aircraft); and PA1 a construction which is as robust and operationally safe as possible. PA1 A structural frame fixed to the aircraft; PA1 a towed-body holding saddle on which the towed flying body can be held by the tractive forces of the trail line; and PA1 at least one swivelling lever which swivellably connects the towed-body holding saddle with the structural frame.
These requirements are achieved by the starting arrangement according to the invention, which has the following characteristics:
The towed-body holding saddle is swivellable, so that it can be moved, together with the towed flying body, from a first position close to the aircraft, into a parallel position farther away from the aircraft, and back again. The position farther away from the aircraft is displaced, downwardly and rearwardly, (relative to the aircraft) with respect to the position close to the aircraft.
In an advantageous embodiment, the starting unit is arranged in a container mounted on the airplane, so that an increase of the drag occurs only when the towed body holding saddle is swivelled to the position farther away from the aircraft.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.